The 1860s saw the peak of hostilities in the New Zealand Wars which were already fifteen years old. While the First Taranaki Conflict lasted just a year (March 1860 - March 1861), the second spanned 1863 - 1866, and was soon followed by Titokowaru’s War, fought between June, 1868 and March, 1869. The cause of the war was primarily over the confiscation of land by European settlers and this letter is a rare, content-rich first-hand account.
Written to his mother, Tunnicliff’s letter is unsparing: “Since I last wrote to you as you are already aware the Maori disturbances have commenced more outrageous than ever Burning Houses Massacreing - Killing - Roasting & Easting our people whenever they can catch them which one never Knew them to do in the last war.”
Chief Riwha Titokowaru proved to be a highly successful strategist, with well-planned attacks on colonial troops and settlers. He adds that while “many natives speak of Peace in Reality no one believes them.”
The wars had economic consequences too. “Half the houses in the Town are Empty People are leaving the province for want of Employment I should do the same myself if I had the opportunity … Things here are very much worse than they were … ten years ago …”
A member of the No. 26 Rifles, Tunnicliff is clearly fed-up with the ongoing war. There are several references to financial matters he’d prefer to pursue, but for his mother’s sake and perhaps his own too, rallies toward to the end: “Now we get only half pay this time but we cannot avoid it & are bound to Serve whether we like it or not. There are no Soldiers fighting now All Military Volunteers or Constabulary - not Policemen and the Natives so far have been mostly the better men Either by bad Management or otherwise Most of them down South have been so fortunate as Our Old Taranaki Corps was during the last war It might unfortunately Be our turn again but still I have Every Confidence in our men who have proved themselves equal to any Emergency.”
A full transcription is supplied with the letter. .
